IF you’re single and swiping this Valentine’s Day, be aware of dating app burnout, one expert warns.
With Valentine’s Day quickly approaching, dating apps are expected to see an increase in swipes.
And as the current number of dating app users stands at more than 323 million people worldwide, that’s a lot of swipes.
Statista reports that in the United States alone, that figure stands at around 53 million people.
The most popular dating apps currently used in the United States include Tinder, Bumble, Hinge, and Match.com.
Certainly, these platforms will connect many on Valentine’s Day, but some will likely suffer from burnout, experts say.
“Dating apps are intentionally designed to keep users glued to them,” Dr. Lauren Kerwin, a psychologist and Assistant Clinical Professor at UCLA’s Dept. of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, told The US Sun.
That’s because they employ the same reward system as casinos and even drugs do, making dating apps very addictive.
As a result, people end up endlessly scrolling for potential dates only to become frustrated with the time they spent doing so.
What’s more, the amount of time spent on dating apps doesn’t correlate with success.
“In short, this means that individuals are spending lots of time on the app itself…but is it necessarily resulting in finding their soulmate quicker?” Dr. Kerwin said.
“I haven’t seen research that shows the quantity of time one devotes to dating apps is correlated to one’s success in finding love,” she added.
Instead, the psychologist and university professor argues that such apps make the process of rejection too easy – a sentiment many experts agree with.
Many studies have found that dating apps can leave users feeling stressed, depressed, and even anxious after using them.
And, according to research, the reason for this is the “evaluative behaviors” that dating apps require users to engage in, Dr. Kerwin pointed out.
For example, when a dating app forces users to compare and evaluate a set of profiles with other profiles.
“It’s social comparison, at its most toxic level,” she said, citing research from the Pew Center, which has found that people who use virtual dating platforms become more frustrated and pessimistic than hopeful.
Still, Dr. Kerwin doesn’t think dating apps can’t help singles find love – but it depends on how someone uses them.
To avoid burnout, she recommends: “Don’t necessarily keep swiping.
“Take the time to really consider each match on its own merit; don’t keep comparing.
“If dating apps do have filters, use them to narrow down the number of matches you’re getting so you can focus on quality.”
